The present invention relates to an electrical connector, especially to a battery connector with a switch.
With functions of an electronic device increasing, the need for battery power will be correspondingly increased. The recent trend has been to use multiple batteries within a single electronic device. For example, a personal digital assistant (PDA) is powered by two rechargeable batteries in most cases.
However, power is drawn from only one battery at a time. When the battery currently in use is down to a certain level of its power, for example, 10% of the rated power, the PDA will switch over to another fully charged battery through software and electronics. Then a user will remove the used battery for recharging. But, if the user removes battery by mistake, the PDA will lose power and any unsaved data will be lost.
Hence, an improved battery connector is needed to overcome the above-mentioned deficiencies.
Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a battery connector having a detecting contact for detecting whether the battery is about to be removed by mistake.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a switch assembly having a detecting contact to detect that a battery is about to be removed before all the terminals break connection with the battery entirely.
A battery connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing having a plurality of passageways therein, a plurality of terminals and a detecting contact received in the passageways of the insulative housing. Each terminal has a horizontal engaging portion, a curved portion extending out of the insulative housing and a contacting portion. The detecting contact has a horizontal engaging portion which electrically connects with the contacting portion of an associated terminal during normal use of a battery and, when the battery is about to be removed, the associated terminal disconnecting from the contacting portion of the detecting contact before the terminals disconnect from the battery.
Another battery connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing having a plurality of passageways therein, a plurality of terminals and a detecting contact received in the passageways of the insulative housing. Each terminal has an engaging portion, a curved portion reversely extending from the engaging portion. The curved portion has a contacting portion at a lower section thereof and a dome formed on the contacting portion of an associated terminal. The detecting contact has an engaging portion, an inclined contacting portion bent down having a dome thereon for electrically connecting with the dome on the contacting portion of the associated terminal during normal use of a battery and, when the battery is about to be removed, the associated terminal disconnecting from the contacting portion of the detecting contact before the terminals disconnect from the battery.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.